Meet your Roscommon celebrity – the 2024 Roscommon Nose of Tralee, Rua.
Name: Rua Reynard McMennimen on Presidential Invitations (hint hint) or Rua, Rudah, Ruby, Rubenstein, Baba and a whole host of other names to my hoomans
County: Roscommon
Age: 4
Breed: According to my DNA results I am 25% Chihuahua, 25% Pekingese and the rest is Corgi, Basset Hound, Bloodhound, Basenji, Rhodesian Ridgeback and Irish Wolfhound (!) and Italian Greyhound!
Special Skill: I can sniff out a treat from anywhere, even behind bombproof glass in less than 2 seconds. My hooman said I’d make a great sniffer dog but the Gardai don’t accept diva dogs like me!
Favourite Food: I would sell my granny for the taste of garlic even though my hooman says it’s bad for me – same goes for yoghurt and milk! But my very favourite food is chicken cooked any way it comes but especially roast chicken, the smell makes me lay in front of the oven drooling!
Favourite Toy: My Baby aka a Kong Knots Elephant toy that I got ages ago and unlike every other toy I’ve been given I didn’t rip it to shreds in seconds! I love My Baby as my comfort chew!
Favourite Place to Sleep: It used to be in bed with my hooman but she bought one them roundy doughnut beds and I’m in love! I love curling up like a little croissant to sleep in it!
Favourite Activity: Sleeping. There isn’t enough time in the day for sleeping. My hooman has a pesky tracker that monitors my daily activity and the traitorous thing tells her when I haven’t been active enough so she wakes me from my treasured naps to go fetch a ball, knowing I won’t be able to resist the chase!
Favourite Place To Go For A Walk/Hangout: Anywhere that I can stop and sniff every single thing I see, the woods are especially full of intriguing smells!
Most Mischievous Thing You Have Ever Done? Not long after moving to Ireland, I made a break for it when my hooman thought I was on my prison chains (Hooman – his lead! His lead!) It was wonderful, the sights and smells of the open countryside, the new neighbours, big cows, fluffy sheep and dogs in the distance to play with! My hooman wasn’t so thrilled – she eventually found me being led back by a lady who was enticing me back down the lane with a bowl of pasta from her dinner that I’d so rudely interrupted!
How Did You Come Into Your Owners Life? The stupid pandemic made my hooman very sick but it meant she was home every day and granny and gramps had retired so they said the timing was right to get a dog again after 30 years! My hooman researched rescue dogs and found a charity who rescued dogs from Romania, where the treatment of stray animals is horrific. Mama fell in love with me online and after lots of checks, visits and paperwork and a long journey on the happy bus, we were united in October 2020 and the rest is history as they say!
What Makes You The Most Pawtastic Pet Ever! My capacity for love, adoration and patience is huge. I am more than happy to snuggle alongside anyone, especially children, and be stroked and kissed.
Why Did You Decide To Enter The Nose Of Tralee? My hooman saw the poster online and knew that a pampered pooch like myself would love the attention such a competition would bring!
How Did You Prepare For The Contest And Get Votes? I had to have a stupid bath so I could look nice for pictures, I wasn’t fond of that! But luckily my hooman has lots of friends and family online so she shared pictures, sometimes made up funny ones, and posts with the link every day to remind everyone!
What Did You Enjoy Most About The Nose Of Tralee? Meeting all the other diva prince and princess pets out there and also getting recognised in public and having fans!
What Advice Would You Give To The Next Nose Of Your County? Wear the sash everywhere you go, get pictures with local characters, landmarks, visit local pet shops and ask for their support. Get your local GAA, newspaper, radio involved too, it’s all a bit of fun! Also get a poster with a QR code and a cute picture of yourself on it so people can vote on the move!
How Are You Handling Your New-Found Fame? Like you would expect a proper celebrity to handle it! I demand more attention, prime lap time, extra snuggles and EVERYONE should have to bow to me and pet me but my hooman keeps me grounded and I just continue playing with my best pal neighbour Rover and sniffing out the treats.
If You Could Be Any Super Hero Who Would You Be? Superman! Or Superdog I should say! Good luck keeping the tracker on me then hooman!
Where Can Your Fans Follow You Online? I have a very neglected Instagram account called @adventures.of.rua.reynard , my hooman is too interested in posting pictures of me & scenery on her @anna134201 page!
Kate McQuillan is the co-founder of Pet Sitters Ireland, an award-winning pet sitting and dog walking company established in 2010 with her husband, Michael. Together, they support thousands of pet owners across Ireland with trusted, in-home pet care. With over 14 years of experience, Kate shares practical advice to help pet owners feel confident and prepared when it comes to their pet’s care.
